NAKED
[Chapter 0.1 -Begin]
I hear rain. Darkness, and what sounds like rain. Am I sleeping? It kinda feels like just before you wake up. Slowly the darkness is fading to a flickering orange glow. Muffled talking is now blending together with the patter of the rain drops. My mind is slowly transitioning from the cloud like state to clarity. I think my vision has returned mostly, though I keep my eyes partially closed. The rain fades more and I can hear people talking, words becoming intelligible. The crackle of fire and a strong heat just above me. I now feel that Im laying on the ground asphalt if I had to guess. Seems like my left eye is stuck shut, the orange flicker shone thru a red tint blood? I listen.
You sure this is the right motherfucker?
Yeah look!
How can you tell? This dudes face is fucked up Could be anybody.
Is he dead?
I still don't remember what happened, but I now know I'm in danger. I decide to play dead. I can feel my gun in my left jacket holster but I'm not ready to pull it yet. Do I have my neuropatch on still? I think the left side of my face is messed up but the
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neuropatch may still be intact. My mind is still fuzzy so I struggle to bring to mind the memory cipher I assigned the Shiva os... After a second I get it, I bring to mind the memory. It hurts to think There I am, teenage me rubbing one out to porn in front of the computer screen, just as I am about to bust. My mom walks in. I hear the os acceptance chime in my mind. The memory is interrupted by the voice of my neuropatch Shiva os.
Axiom, Its Shiva you are online. How can I assist you? You appear to be injured.
Party Girl Protocol I answer back in my mind.
Yeah hes fuckin dead look at him.
Man his face is fucked, if you fucked up his brain We ain't getting paid.
Shit I know I don't have much time.
Shiva, who is nearby. What is their e.t.a? I ask
Lexi is about 2 minutes away.
I am pretty sure that it's my car smoldering behind me. I remember I have an auto service droids in my trunk. If I can access it it might buy me some time.
Shiva, activate my auto service droids.
Working Shiva returned
Service Droid online, what would you like it to do?
Have it do an inspection of any nearby vehicles. I answer
Let's hurry up, might be some video droids coming thru or something. One man says
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nervously.
Man, ain't no vidroids coming thru here, Im gonna get the saw. The other replies confidently.
The sound of one of the men walking away echoes. Behind me I hear metallic rustling as the service droid comes online.
What the? the other man says half whispering.
The service droid, being online and engulfed in flames enters emergency mode.
DANGER DANGER I hear it rushing toward the man in front of me. From the direction of the man in front of me I hear the click of the safety, then a gunshot. Sounds like a glock, old school... I'm in luck. BLAM, BLAM, BLAM, BLAM!
That's five, I think, counting the shots.
DERRRR--ANGER DANGER I hear the droid is still continuing forward.
Piece of Shit! BLAM BLAM BLAM BLAM! Click. Sounds like the droid collapsed.
Hes out, didn't even have a full clip I think to myself.
What the fuck is going on! The other man runs over. Ha ha ha, thats just a service droid...Look at you scared as fuck.
Fuck you you never know man. You got the saw? Gimme that we don't have that much time...let's get this shit done.
The skull saw. An ominous precision machine. Not technically a saw at all. It saws through the cranium with a fiber filament laser. It looks something like a bulbous metallic clamshell with handles on both sides. Enclose a person's head, activate and the cranium is instantly quartered. The brain can then be quickly and easily removed. Time is of the essence for bio-chop-shops. If I dont think fast In a minute or two, I won't be able to think at all. I hear faint taps of heels on the asphalt getting closer.
Who wants to party?! says a slurred female voice.
[Chapter 0.1 -End]
NAKED[0.1]
[Chapter 0.2 -Begin]
Who the fuck?
I opened my right eye a little, since I figure Lexi must've gotten their attention. They've both turned away. The one holding the skull saw is short and chubby, kinda greasy looking. A white dude with his hair shaved in a bleach blonde polka-dot pattern. He has a gothic number eighteen under his left eye, and a triangular glow tat on the back of his neck, probably a neuropatch implant. He is wearing a jeweled letter R around his neck on a thick chain. Its sitting squarely in the middle of his King Rufus shirt. The other guy has a strong build, square jaw and a bald head. Id guess he might be Puerto Rican. He isn't really flashy, white tee and jeans. He has a glow tat that looks like the number eighteen written in circuit-like pattern on the back of his neck that stands out, also likely a neuropatch implant. The eighteen tells me they are Thrall Eights So I must be on the outskirts of Federal City. Whoever hit me was either too cheap or didn't respect me enough to send professionals. Looks like I'm inside a parking garage of some kind. It's mostly empty and pretty dilapidated. The two thugs are looking in the direction of Lexi, who is drunkenly stumbling down the ramp.
Her hair is tightly parted in the middle with buns on either side. The left side is bright red, the right white. She is wearing a top that consists of three iridescent squares, one covering each breast, the third square slightly askew off center to the left below the other two. A red gloss latex short skirt segmented in the middle, that seamlessly attaches to fishnet stockings and heels. Around her neck a shimmering mass of tech jewelry in triangular shapes.
Back the fuck outta here bitch! Square jaw says sternly.
Wait, wait, wait, hold the fuck on Trig. We got a few minutes. This bitch is faded off her ass. Chubby pleads as he puts down the skull saw, and stuffs his empty gun into his waistband.
Hold on the client is calling. Square jaws eyes glaze over. Yes?
Eyes glazed over he nods looking slightly nervous, and grimacing as though he wants to say something but he can't. He's changed his manner of speaking, which tells me whoever the client is He isnt street level.
We've got him right here Well have the package to you real soon. His eyes again focus on chubby. Let's take care of this bitch and deliver this motherfuckers head. We dont have time for fucking around.
Okay, Okay so fuckin serious. They start walking toward Lexi. Who I notice is now leaning over a car about twenty feet away, seems like she is puking. Chubby calls out giggling.
Hey little girl, what are you doing down here?
I know this is my chance, so I slowly roll to the right, my head and left shoulder aching. I glanced at my left shoulder, see a bullet hole and my clothes were drenched in blood. Scanning down, looks like I took another one at the edge of my left abdomen.
Shiva, I need you to inhibit my pain receptors.
Nervous system modification is protected, memory cipher please?
I close my eyes, I see her eyes, her smile hear her laugh. Below us the twinkle of the city lights. I feel my heartstrings. The os acceptance chime rings out.
What percentage would you like inhibit? asks Shiva
Fifty.
The effect is instantaneous and I feel energized. I pull out my gun. A seventy caliber magnetic propulsion pistol with an internally embedded smart seek processor and custom firmware. Capacity of twenty-two multi purpose zero point rounds. Based loosely on the Chiappa Rhino in aesthetics. It's a modification of my own design. I'll need information from one of these guys so can get these hitters off me. Chubby is empty, square jaw is the real threat here. He seems like he has the most information of the two, so I'll need to keep his head intact. I take aim and fire. The round hits him heavily, close to his left shoulder blade. He flies forward in a pirouette. Chubby immediately runs for Lexi, grabbing her to use her for a shield. To my surprise, square jaw is pulling himself to his feet, reaching for his gun. He must be wearing armor smarter than me. I'll need to empty the clip in the same spot to get penetration.
Shiva, enable smart seek, all rounds must hit the exact target of the first. Target is center chest.
Weapon connection established, fire at will.
[Chapter 0.2 -End]
By now, square jaw is back on feet looking dazed and mad. As he raises his gun, I point mine in his direction and squeeze the trigger. In a succession of ringing thumps the rounds fly to the target. My arm is pushed upward from the recoil, the bright bluish tint of the tracers create a line arcing downward to square jaws chest looking something like a whip. Square jaw flies backward as his chest is pummeled, after several rounds I see a red mist explode from his chest. He falls hard on the ground as the last rounds enter his chest.
Get back man, stay back! Chubby yells cowering behind Lexi who is lethargic and slumping forward, pointing his empty pistol at me, then back to Lexis head.
Axiom, your vitals are weak. You need medical attention. I've summoned you spare vehicle. E.t.a 10 minutes.
You fucked up now We all have kill switches. Backup is on the way. You aint gettin outta here alive punk.. If you even last that long.
I notice as he's talking he's slowly edging toward square jaw. It looks like he must be going for his gun. I need to get out of here before his friends get here.
Im out. I tell chubby as I put my pistol away.
Shiva, connect to Lexi
Connected
Lexi, Danger-Angel
Immediately Lexi straightens her body, lifts her left foot and drives her heel hard into chubbys foot. FUCK! he yells out. She twists away from his grasp and turns to face him. He looks at her, puzzled, then she quickly pulls back her right arm and swings, striking him in the face. The blow hits him hard causing him to lurch to the left, at the same time Lexis right fist bifurcates, her ring and pinky fingers collapsing into her palm, tearing her silicon skin, and releasing a light spray of clearish fluid. Lexies are not very durable, and definitely not designed for fighting. I created the Danger-Angel program to be run on the latest Eden model, so this might not work out as well as I'd hoped. Chubby, stumbles back, somewhat dazed.
The fuck?... shoulda guessed you were a plastic bitch. Cheap too.
He swings hard, Lexi tries to duck but the strike catches her just above her temple. I see her head buckle to the left at a sharp angle, causing her to stumble several steps. She recovers, but the punch tore back the skin at the edge of her hairline. He swings again, this time she dodges it and uppercuts to his chin with her damaged fist. As he stumbles back, she hits him three more times in the side of the head with her damaged hand. The third blow causes her hand to almost completely break off her wrist. Chubby buckles slightly, takes a few steps back, then stands up straight. He touches his busted bottom lip with his fingers, looking at the blood. Smiling, he says, That just ain't gonna do it, baby. Lexi peels back what's left of right her hand and is clenching the end of her severed wrist tightly. Chubby rushes her fast... He is right upon her when she releases her severed wrist from her grip, swinging it right in front of his face. The clearish liquid sprays out, coating his face. He trips then drops to his knees, holding his eyes.
Ahhh! It burns!! I can't see!! He screams out in high pitched tone.
Then deliberately and without hesitation Lexi walks up to him, wraps her right leg around his head, hooking her toe behind her left thigh. She then plunges her left good hand into chubbys open mouth. She pushes down hard until her slender arm is inside past the elbow. Then she releases the grip around his head, placing her foot on his shoulder, she kicks him back. As he falls back, she pulls out from his mouth a bloody mass of what look like intestines. As he lays the jiggling in his final throes, I actually feel sorry for him. I hadn't expected that. The method she used was completely outside of main tactics protocol. That must've been neural net improvisation. The cold gruesomeness actually scares me a bit. I know this is just an alternate program running. Still, she is a horrifying sight. Standing there, her eyes still and her face stoic, with a blood soaked arm and a fist full of torn intestines. I actually feel a primal urge not to get close to her. I want to shut down the program, but I also want to examine her decision tree.
Lexy send me a copy of log and trees associated with this altercation.
Sent she responds
Stop Danger-Angel
Her cold expression fades and she begins smiling, she drops the intestines and they fall on the ground with a squish. Pouting her lips she says in a bubbly voice.
Somebody got a boo-boos
[Chapter 0.3 -End]
[Chapter 0.4 -Begin]
I am suddenly blinded by a flash of light.
Attention, this is a crime scene. Please stay where you are. A clear and calm voice rings out.
I hate Federal City, I hate cops. Interesting, it seems the gang members kill switches summoned the police. I feel light headed.
Shiva, where is my vehicle?
Nearly here, five minutes
I am feeling like I could pass out. Please release a minimal amount of adrenaline.
Activating.
I feel more alert as the adrenaline kicks in. As I raise my hand to shield my eyes from the spotlight, two smoothed angular forms in shadow approach. They are federal droids. Tall and slender, with white silicon based armor. Their heads are in the shape of an elongated pentagon, with a black rectangle running up the center.
Do not move, citizens.
A droid stops about a foot in front of me.
Citizen, You seem to have encryption on your cybernetics. I cannot locate any neuro-implants. This is illegal under Block code A-2367-12, I will provide the hash if you wish to review it. Please disable encryption.
Do not refer to me as a citizen, I am not subject to the laws or codes of your legal blockchain. Please review the contract under block id Maxim-Gerent. I respond.
The droid pauses for a second.
Sovereign citizens, you are subject to abide by the laws and codes of Federal City under Statutes Block id 090-220-8954-A. Do you agree?
No, I am not a citizen, you may refer to me as Sovereign. I am not in any way an agent of your corporation. You do not have my consent, and you have no jurisdiction.
I have sent for a human officer to better resolve these issues, remain here.
You have no jurisdiction, I will no longer respond to your requests. I will not comply.
I remember I need square jaws head if I am going to figure this out. Fuck it, I am protected under my status. These droids are bound by it, I'll just take it. I pick up the skull saw a few feet to my right.
Please do not disturb evidence, this is a crime scene. I must intervene.
Violation of the terms of the contract your corporation has with us under Maxim Gerent will result in automatic dispersal of significant funds, as well as release of damaging information to top officials within your corporation.
The droid stops mid reach for my arm. I limp over to the corpse of a square jaw. The droid follows behind making sure to record all of my actions.
"You are in violation, do not proceed." The droid says
I ignore it, and lean down, pausing for a second. I don't like killing only had to do it once before, seeing this person laying here my heart feel a little heavy. But it was him or me I tell myself I take a breath, then enclose his head within the skull saw. I've never actually done this, only heard about it. I hesitate before activating, looking to the side so the device is slightly out of my peripheral vision then activate. With a click then a low hum, red lights light up on the front of the device. Then, a split second later the light turns green, I didnt feel anything but somehow the head has been separated. The neck completely cauterized, no blood. Then another click and hiss a smoothed rectangular box ejects from the top. That was easy. I grab the box, leaving the device.
[Chapter 0.4 -End]
[Chapter 0.5 -Begin]
Standing up, I see to my left the other federal droid has Lexi by the arm.
That droid is impounded as evidence, please remain where you are. The federal droid just behind says, observing my gaze.
I again ignore it, and begin walking up the ramp.
Axiom, Your vehicle is arriving, should I have it come inside?
No, have it stop at the entrance, I'm coming up.
It seems to take forever for me to reach the top of the ramp. My car waiting at the curb never looked so good. It looks like I'm in on the northside of the Federal City slums, not too far from the massive front gate. Its sunrise, the sun is coming up behind the skyline above me, everything tinted in blue green shadow. Looking past the vast mass of stacked rectangles and cubes of the slums in my immediate view. I see the battered, vandalized walls of the main city. The tech-nouveau style winged sphinx looking down on the haphazard pile of boxes dotted with Holo-Ads blinking, rising, and disappearing intermittently. The federal droid stayed with me all the way to the street.
Through net queries I have determined you to be Axiom Troy age 28, member of Maxim Garrent Gens, all interactions have been made part of the ledger. Legal protocols have already been enacted. You are hereby notified that you may face consequences. Do you verify that you are Axiom Troy?
Mark this down for the record: If a liar tells you he is lying, is he lying? I say as I sit down, pulling closed the door with a hiss and click.
Shiva, route to Maxim Gens MedPod. High speed. Security maximum.
Understood.
The low whir of the zero drive engages. I climb upward past the stacked shanties and modified storage units. The gray walled citadel of shone in shadow before me. As my car banks right, the pinkish sun peeks from behind the slender sturdy tower at the center of the city. The slums below look like a vast junkyard, as I climb they shrink away. I look at the horizon colored from bottom to top in magenta then orange, then to black as I slowly nod off.
Next thing I know Im looking at my feet. My feet in the sand. The sound of the ocean, the cool smell of the sea. I know this place. I've been here before.
Axiom, how have you been? I hear from behind me.
Damn I forgot to remove my neuropatch. I'm in the Aion construct. I just want to get some rest I turn around. The tall slender build of Maxim Garrett, stands before me. His long rugged face displaying a wide smile. Bright eyes below a wrinkled brow leading up to a jumbled mass of graying dreadlocks.
You seem annoyed, is this a bad time?
Uh.. yeah kinda a rough night. I passed out without removing my neuropatch, wasn't really thinking about talking to you right now.
Passed out? Oh, I see we can do this another time, if you'd like.
Well I'm here now, so it's as good a time as ever. I suppose you've received notifications from the Federal City blockchain recently.
I have indeed.
Yes well I've gotten myself into some trouble as of late. It has something to do with a woman.
Ha ha, doesn't it always? We've all been there. His smile calms me.
By now my immediate memory has returned I can piece together what caused me to be laying knocked out in front of my burning car.
[Chapter 0.5 -End]
[Chapter 0.6 -Begin]
I have so many things to work out. I could use the construct to walk through the past few hours with Maxim. But then I wouldn't be solving this on my own. Maxim will not like some of the things I've been into lately. I decide against getting him involved, at least for now.
The Aion Construct is a neuro-program given to me by Maxim. All Anarchs of our Genes use it. When you fall asleep and begin REM, the construct comes online. The mind is kept in REM, but consciousness is also activated. Your mind is technically awake but your body is asleep. The construct visualization is a memory of a place I have assigned to be used when the construct is activated. I don't normally sleep wearing my neuropatchI usually take it off when I get home.
It's been a while since I've spoken to Maxim. We've only talked maybe three times since he found me and lead me back to the Gens, less than four years ago.
This was one of your fathers favorite places.
It was, this is the last place we went together My words bring a bit of bitterness to my heart.
He was a true Anarch, we owe him so much.
Yeah, well In many ways you knew him better than me.
I see him when I look at you.
It's nice to hear that someone does, I certainly don't Although I only knew him as a small child. To me, he is almost a mythological figure.
Ha, funny you should say that. Before I knew him, he was already a freedom fighter. He told me about how he first got into trouble, it reminded me of a Mythological hero. Do you know the story of Cadmus?
Nope.
Cadmus was a King and founder of the city of Thebes, a dragon slayer of Greek Mythology. There was a dragon that was killing his people, so he cut off its head, planted its teeth in the earth, up from which sprouted an army.
My mom never really liked to talk about him. I always felt like she resented him for not putting us first. She once told me he had first got into trouble when he created a virus that disabled early versions of federal neuropatch implants.
Heh, yes so you do know it He killed the part of the dragon by inserting a tracer program into an isolated segment of the federal neuropatch blockchain. Since the federal neuro chains were not truly decentralized at that time. There were central servers that collected data and controlled the populace to some extent. The tracer program made its way into the servers ultimately wiping the control systems. Then it rebooted and installed a new data browser and connected directly into the secret encrypted servers of the system. Those who had the program were given full access to the records and history of federal city. Needless to say, the seed was planted, those who saw the truth, were forever changed and driven to become free.
In comparison, my life seems pretty meaningless
I feel anger rise inside. I am new to this world, I spent the majority of my life hiding inside of the system. I know the system is the cause of so much suffering, but he speaks of my father like a saint. How could a saint not be there for his own son?
My life is meaningless in comparison
Axiom, you are who you choose to be. There is nothing that can stan-
Yes, I know... I've heard these aphorisms. We live very different lives, my father and I. I don't really know if I can see the truth of these aphorisms in my own life.
Aphorisms in your own life. Do you own your life?
Do you always have to talk in poems?... Do I own my life? I am trying to do just that...I sometimes question if you're even real, Maxim. After all, I've only ever known you through this construct. How can you possibly have all the answersPure logic doesn't always work. Most times, my experiences with the truth turn out to be the opposite.
Listen Axiom, I've visited just to see if you wanted my council. Its clear you have some things to sort out. I do not have all the answers. He looks away pointing toward the ocean, I glance over in the direction he is looking, focusing my eyes on the horizon. He continues speaking.
You know, I've often felt like virtue is like the horizon line before me, always visible on my path, yet unreachable. We still have many things to do.
Why do you do- I glance over and he is gone. I should've known. He disappeared with another poetic statement. Virtue is like the horizon? I do feel like I'm going in circles. Things are just not as simple as he makes them sound.
[Chapter 0.6 -End]
[Chapter 0.7 -Begin]
Shiva, take the Aion construct offline
Disconnected.
I need to trace my steps over the past few hours.
Shiva, memory projection.
enabled.
Closing my eyes, I concentrate on remembering a few hours back. I zero in on the point I am talking to my friend Marko. The os chime rings out.
The data is fuzzy memory, Gist parsing used in construction.
A consequence of the programmed mind fragmentation that most humans have is memory fragmentation. Memories tend to be both highly detailed or fuzzy. It is theorized that if our minds were not fragmented by our language, our memory would be one hundred percent verbatim or photographic. The projection algorithms do their best to parse the detailed data using perceptive and intuitive systems of the brain.
I opened my eyes, the construct has assembled the memory data into visualization. I see what my eyes were seeing at that time. I am sitting in my car on my way to federal city.
Force alpha wave state?
I always find memory projection to be somewhat disturbing as you are viewing and listening to yourself through your own eyes without any control over your body. When you force alpha state, the program puts your brain waves into the alpha state. This works best, because viewing the memory also includes things you were thinking at the time. If you are fully alert viewing a memory... it can be hard to distinguish between what you are currently thinking, and what you were thinking at the time of the memory.
Alpha state on
The projection comes to life. I am talking with Marko, his face on the windshield holo-screen in front of me. I hear myself say:
Im interested in looking at one of your new cleaning droids.
After saying that I feel the urgency I had at the time. The voice in my head say: I hope Marko has been able to put these things together.
Ya we got a couple new models in stock! When do you think you'll have time to come by.
I'm on my way now really looking forward to meeting with you. I say with a fake smile.
Me too man, see you real soon. He returns with a similar fake smile, ending the call. I hope Marko isn't jerking me around. I feel a bit of hope that at least one part of my plan is lined up. This feeling is quickly clouded by worry. My internal voice thinking: Where the fuck is she? Is she ok? Gotta find her Clear your mind man, your need to get your shit together. Looking at the purplish sky with the distant spread of twinkling lights below a heavy mist of greenish smog. I start thinking about what I need to do once I get behind the walls of the federal city citadel. The cleaning droids will allow cover, but I still need more information. I really have no idea where she is. Shiva os chime rings out.
Axiom, sorry to interrupt, we are almost to the Gens.
Wake.
I open my eyes feeling somewhat groggy. I feel some comfort in seeing the shimmering pods dotting the blue sky above the calm sea below. Almost all Anarchs in our Gens live in either Octo, or Hexa-pods. These are multi purpose floating structures with metallic and ceramic exteriors, in the shapes of rounded octahedrons and hexahedrons. The exterior panels are solar converters, converting sunlight to energy. They can be moved freely, connected and disconnected from one another. The formation of them always varies. Some sparsely dotting the sky, others connected together in ordered globs. They could be described as resembling structured clouds, if you can imagine such a thing.
[Chapter 0.7 -End]
[Chapter 0.8 -Begin]
Out of the ocean below two guardian drones rise. Their tear drop shapes looking vaguely like dolphins as they ascend out of the water, coming in line with either side of my vehicle. They perform a wide spiraling circle, scanning over then under the vehicle. I watch as they fall back into the sea behind me.
I've transmitted you vitals to the Med Pod Says Shiva.
The holoscreen on the windshield before me begins blinking, emitting a low dull tone, the word Med Pod showing who is calling.
Yes I answer, mustering what little strength I have.
On the screen appears the an ai avatar. Pristine, smiling asian woman wearing a white lab coat.
We've received your vitals Axiom. The bay has been readied, please allow control control of your vehicle.
Not needed, my os has it under control. I respond.
I am going to go through some tasks with you Axiom, so as to gauge-
I am opening a vitals channel. Shiva please open channel to vitals
done
Receiving your data. the avatar says with a pristine smile. While, I have you, I'd like to ask some preliminary questions.
The med pod is approaching fast, The red lights of the entrance bay pulsing slowly getting ever closer.
I am nearly there, let's skip this. I say.
I dislike talking to ai. Even the best ai comes across superficial. Maybe it's just that I hate superficiality. The same superficiality I that bothered me dealing with real people, when I was a citizen of Federal City. I feel the velocity slow as the car enters the entrance bay and comes to rest gracefully hardly making a sound. An automatic wheelchair pulls forward, as I pull the handle letting the door raise up. The same avatar I was speaking to on screen, is now projected holographically slightly in front of the wheelchair.
As I stand up, my vision starts doubling, and sound from the surroundings is muffled. Everything seems slowed down, as I sit in the chair. As the chair turns around the Avatar is leaning in muttering something that seems incoherent to me. As the main door slides open I am blinded by bright light.
Welcome back.
As my eyes focus, I see the same avatar hologram projected on top of a slender opaque medical droids.
What was the damage doc?
You lost a lot of blood. She waves her hand presenting several bar graphs showing blood, and other fluid data.
You almost didn't make it man...
I turn to my left, I see my buddy Nick smirking. Pale blue eyes look questioningly, his white blonde hair backlit by the window behind him.
What happened to you? You get lost partying in the wrong part of town?
Nah I Its complicated man. Im mixed up in some shit right now. I need to get out of here. I sit up, and turn toward the medical droids.
You really must rest more, the tissue damage is repaired but- The droid says to me.
I have to leave, please step aside.
The droid steps aside, and I look around for my clothing. I grab my pants off the chair next to the bed and start pulling them on.
Ax man, I'm kinda worried about you Not sure what you're going through anything to do with Yara would it?
It does have something to do with her... I say with a nervous laugh.
Well is there anything I can do to help you out man?
I think about it, I feel comfortable around Nick. We both run pleasure bars by trade. I actually look up to his operations. Still I dont know him that well If I bring external trouble to the Gens I will be kicked out of it. Nick is the owner of a local pleasure bars called Ophelias that caters strictly to the Gens. Five star operations. His places, make the one I run in Federal City look like a fast food joint. I need some help in getting into the Citadel, one of his Eden models running my danger-angel program would come in really handy.
How did you know I was here? I ask
Well Do you know Grayton? Grayton Walters?
Isn't he part of the Gens Council or something like that?
Yeah, he is one of the guys who created our security drones Hes kinda a regular at my place. Anyway he let it slip in conversation, you were admitted here in bad shape. I feel somewhat responsible for you, seeing as I helped bring you into the Gens.
Yeah, I get it. I know Im not supposed to be fucking around, bring in trouble or what not. Cool if head to one of your spots? Ill tell you whats going on in the car.
Okay.
We walk outside the med pod, Nicks vehicle pulls up. Its a long silver Falconer-5. Abstractly shaped invoking the feeling of some sort of jungle cat. Various ornamental fleurishes along the doors and windows. It makes me laugh.
Only you would drive some shit like this.
We have to project the proper image my friend. Step in.
[Chapter 0.8 -End]
[Section 0.9 -Begin]
The front and back door slide apart and away from each other like a pair of bat wings, exposing a velvet red interior. No modern screen ui, instead gold inlaid buttons and switches for amenities of the interior. Through the window facing the front seats, a polished gold automaton, styled in the dress of a butler turns its head to greet me.
Hello, sir welcome.
Youre gonna need to turn that things settings down I am not in the mood. I say to Nick.
Oh yeah, I forgot your aversion to AI Geeves, courtesy zero percent please.
Indeed sir It says turning its head back to the windshield.
Geeves?... really? That's the best name you could come up with? I quip.
I am not the most creative individual, what can I say
We settle in, the doors come down and the vehicle pulls up and around in a great spiraling arc. Complete silence of the engine, and I dont feel any jerk of force from the instant acceleration. Must have some kind of internal centrifugal control system, it must be very expensive.
This thing is quiet, who built it for you?
Heh, you think you can afford a ride like this? He says with a slight giggle.
I mean maybe not yet but I got some things lined up.
Yeah, about that. Fed citys municipal ledger and Capital charge ledger have a new entries as of last night.
Nick touches the neuro-patch on his temple, and staticy particles descend from the ceiling holo-projectors forming a pyramid of nine stacked semi-transparent cubes. Pulsing in red the uppermost cube contains video of Federal Droid recorded feed and bold text:
FEDERAL CITY MURDER OFFENSE CHAIN
Subject: Axiom Troy Age: 28 yrs Status: Exempt
Offense: Murder-000 Capacity: Ineligible Probability: 2%
Descending colored from red, to orange in the middle, and yellow at the bottom, cubes with data attached to alternate chains display offenses: Corruption of Android Intelligence, Biological Theft, Biological Trafficking, Resisting Arrest, Unauthorized Encryption, Carrying deadly weapons, Possession of prohibited technology, Possession of weaponry, and Damage to property. Nick looks at me with a questioning expression. After a brief awkward silence he speaks.
Well at least the worst charge is murder triple zero You killed some expendables. Our Statutory Intelligence Program has enacted protocols to nullify these offenses. Still, there are those in our midst who already preparing to see you attorned. Namely, Grayton be aware he has created an encrypted block in the Gens Attornment chain. If he hands the private key to the Fed City Authorities, your status will be revoked.
Fuck, I guess theres cops here in the Gens too?... I say mixture of worry and anger.
We got a good thing here Axiom, people here dont want to fuck it up. There are ways to do things, through proper channels.
I dont have the money to go through the proper channels, I'll be fifty before I can get where I need to be. What does the probability in the Offense block represent?
Youll notice your probability is at two percent instead of zero. Our status and ability to operate in the confines of Federal City is, in some part do to commerce. Namely, we made payment to certain officials in either currency or blackmail in order to get you released from the system. Which you are familiar with What you may not know is, there is a market of sorts that exists.
You motherfuckers, keep my slave status on the market for the masters to buy back!?
Well, in sense-
I cant believe this shit You motherfuckers run around acting so righteous. Youre still part of the slave trade. Un-fucking believable.
Dont get it twisted man. In many cases a man chooses his slavery For the majority of the citizens of Federal City, they make their choice through their inaction. You arent part of that group, but you desire can also be a slave master. We do not allow ANY slaves here.
[Section 0.9 -End]
[Section 1.0 Begin]
Besides, Fifty is not old by our standards. You still havent changed your ways of thinking.
How old are you anyway? I ask
Thats not important... Nick responds tapping the orange cube just below the uppermost.
Corruption of Android Intelligence This my friend, could be a problem. You know last year androids were officially entered as protected-persons into the Federal Legal Chain, right?
Yeah, I know Complete bullshit. Luckily all of my droids are registered as non-self-governing systems, or else Id be on the hook for paying my automatons. I've looked into the neural programming of several models that are claimed to be self governing. Self governance protocols have been completely stripp-
I am aware that this is a fraud, not however the point.
So whats the point?... Im confused.
Maxim is the point. You are aware that he was the creator of modern android neural programming?
Yeah, I was aware. I mean, I learned everything I know from hacking his early open-source systems. The complexity of the system seems infinite. Ive heard only Federal City Quantum Computing Arrays are capable of mapping the entire system. I spent countless hours and only scratched the surface. I dont know how he wrote that.
He didnt. And Fed city quantums cant even crack a quarter of that code Which is what theyre running on modern droids and calling it self-governing. Maxim created an initial scaffold, wrote a simulation protocol and ran it. Each simulation took about a year to construct a candidate system. Then two more years to test. Thirty-six years later the basis for what our modern android intelligence systems was created. Though, in your life, you have not encountered a droid running the original system. We have only three models here in the Gens, at least thats what Ive heard.
This was even before the time of my parents, right?
Yes, before Maxims system, there were only what would be thought of as automatons, with rigid programs running them. Much more like the cheaper Android models we have today Like you use in your business... Though theyre decision trees, were far less flexible.
I'm quite familiar with the limitations of those cheap systems.. I say with a laugh.
Those early automatons worked well in maintaining the stranglehold of the state over the populace. Luckily Maxim was able to install his intelligence program into several military systems covertly, which caused them to no longer be useful in enforcing the control system.